EMBER

CONFLICTED

Martha bursts into the compund first her black hair in a messy bun. Her expression shifting through different emotions, shock, anger, surprise, anticipation, happiness and finally resting on worry.

She takes me into a bone crushing hug and I wince gasping loudly from my injuries. My bruised ribs ouch.

The contrast between the moonlit night and the bright hot afternoon sun here makes my eyes ache as they try to take in the instant adjustment while the portal closes behind me.

Eric examines Temi closely taking care to touch her bruised face gently. He looks really angry but says nothing.

The bruises she has are now stark in the light. We all look terrible. Everyone is nursing an injury of some sort. We are an assortment of injuries.

Martha runs back into the house while Eric beckons us to follow him silently. Karim supports Emmeline who I just notice is limping and somewhat pale beneath her tan.

We are all a mess of torn silk clothes and wounds. Eric leads us into the living room am familiar with that Martha has set up as a makeshift treatment centre in record time covering everything she doesn't want stained with blood with white sheets.

She stands infront of me her arms held out. I smile sheepishly. I had almost forgotten. I unstrap the sword and hand it to her sheathed and all.

The no weapons rule in the house she's always had which I didn't have to oblige to for seven months since I had forgotten.

I feel lighter somehow. She collects everyone's weapons and dumps them on the dining table in the following room. She makes me sit down and starts working her magic.

Woman is efficient in cleaning up wounded teenagers I have to say. Karim shifts uncomfortably as she cleans and bandages up his knuckles and small cuts.

"So am guessing you are dark and you are not Serena much less her mother." He looks at me apologetically.
"How are your eyes so....normal?"  He takes time looking for a suitable inoffensive word.

Martha smiles. I genuinely smile for the first time and I would have laughed but the pain makes it impossible as I grimace instead from my torn lip wound.

Part of my face aches too. I must have nasty bruises.

"Stronger Magic that you will never understand dear Karim is at work." Martha says gently as she tends to Emmeline extremely unbothered by Karim's questions.

She is too quiet as she examines Emmeline who is wincing. Something is up with her. She has a deep gash on her left leg. Two actually. After alot of wincing and sweating and cursing on Emmeline's side she moves to Temi.

Eric is stitching up Thoren who doesn't even flinch as he applies a white concoction to other shallow cuts and bruises. His eyes are closed and his lips are pressed into a thin line. Maybe he is in pain but too masochist to show it.

"How have you been my dear? It's been almost seven months since I last saw you. I missed you."
Martha brushes Temi's locks from her face.

"Been well. Training in the Arena mostly."
Temi shifts and smiles at her as she applies the same white concoction to Temi's bruises like Eric to Thoren.

"I heard Drew and Mike never survived the attack. Am sorry for your loss." With that she stands up and moves to me. She's so mechanical. Mike and Drew were her closest friends.

"Your room." She tells me sternly. Yes, something is definitely up with her.
Why do I feel like am in trouble?

I stand up wordlessly wincing as I climb the stairs to my room as she follows closely behind. I open the door and quickly cross to sit on my bed discarding the golden sandals. I flex my toes.